14 DAY TRIAL // Sony does it again, as breaking PlayStation 3 promises seem to be on the weekly order of businesses. The beefed up version of the PS3 evidently isn't shipping with the HDMI cable needed to take advantage of 1080p Blu-ray capabilities. As a reminder, we're talking about the same HDMI cable that has been promised by Sony ever since the PS3's high-def qualities have been hyped up.
According to a recently updated FAQ on the official PS3 site, we learn the following: "Copy-protected Blu-ray video discs can only output at 1080p using an HDMI cable connected to a device that is compatible with the HDCP standard." On the other hand, "HDMI cable not included. Additional equipment may be required to use the HDMI connector." The only problem is that the HDMI cable needed to do this won't be included with the $600 PS3. I wonder why it spells "may " instead of "will", since it's obviously the case, unless the PS3 has supernatural abilities.
According to pricing on Amazon, you'll have to buy additional cables with a values ranging from $20 to $300 for the much needed HD connectivity. Sony said the $600 version will be worth the extra money specifically by playing content in 1080p. Maybe they should have made it clear that an extra cable, not included in the box, will also be needed. But I guess that's exclusively a job for the small font text on the back box. Instead, Sony gets more bad press so close to launch, adding to the stress and anger that's been building ever since the price was announced in May. In light of this recent twist of events, the $500 PS3 option is looking more and more attractive.